GOING PLACES WITH TONY SELVAGGIO, OF SCRAP ON SPOT

We’ve got a great variety of presenters at our TEDxTampaRiverwalk 2015 event, whose work takes us from civic engagement to cosplay to makerspaces in libraries. Tony Selvaggio is Going Places in yet another way, that brings together civic engagement with entrepreneurship.

We asked him to tell us a little more about himself and what he hopes to share at our TEDx event in a couple of weeks.

TEDxTRW: Tell us a bit about yourself.

TS: My name is Tony Selvaggio, I am a 28 year old entrepreneur born and raised in Venezuela. I am the son of two wonderful parents, husband of an amazing wife and soon to be father of a baby girl. I am also the founder of Scrap On Spot and eSmart Recycling. I have a background in business development, business management and over 7 years of experience in the recycling industry. After growing up in a third world country, I consider myself privileged to be able to identify and create value where others see trash.

TEDxTRW: What are you passionate about?

TS: I am passionate about entrepreneurship. I am also passionate about my generation and the world we are living in right now. I think that we are going through a huge cultural change in our society that is going to impact many generations to come. As business owners and community leaders, I think we have a responsibility to make the world a better place for those future generations.

TEDxTRW: Why do you think what you do is important?

TS: I think it is important because the best way to lead is by example. If we are able to solve a social problem with a profitable business model we will be contributing to society in a way that makes a bigger and better impact, than just having a “profitable” business that only creates revenue without changing lives.

TEDxTRW: How do you hope to inspire people?

TS: I definitely hope to inspire people to action. I want to let everybody know that a difference can be made, and it has to start with us, right here on our backyards. In a collaboration age like this one; we can only move forward by working together as a society.